One of the best things about 2016 and 2017 was the influx of nerdy clothing that found its way into my closet. Seriously, my sense of style blossomed to the point where I have just about all of my fandoms covered.

A lot of people have asked me where I’ve gotten some of these shirts or skater dresses, so I thought it would be fun to highlight some of my favorites. I found a lot of goodies via Instagram, which has helped me find and connect with indie shops that deserve all the love in the world.

So I’ll share two main things: how I incorporate nerdy fashion into my work attire and where I find a lot of these indie shops. I hope you’ll feel more confident in dressing the way you like in all kinds of settings and you find options out there that fit your size and fashion sense. Let’s get started!

Also: I’m not being paid for any of this. I’m sharing my tips and my favorite shops out of fan loyalty and nothing more. 

Tips for Dressing Nerdy at Work

Keep Words Clean: Sometimes a nerd shirt will have words on them. If you’re in a work environment, you want to ensure the words are clean, not suggestive, and otherwise work-appropriate. It’s a simple thing, but you don’t want to garnish any extra complaints about your shirt. For example, I like to wear feminism shirts, but I keep the “sassy” ones for non-work outfits. Since you shouldn’t mix politics with work, I try to anticipate any potential issues.

Opt for Minimal/Discrete Details: Nerd shirts used to have a huge face plastered on the front. Now, lots of retailers are adding small details to the hems or collars that only fans would recognize. This is an easy way to sneak in some nerd stuff without drawing too much attention to your attire. If you have to wear something slightly more formal to work, you can go for the minimal route.

Wear One Nerdy Thing at a Time: When you dress for work, you probably can’t dress like you’re going to comic con–wearing fandom stuff from head to toe. Doesn’t quite fly in the office! That’s why I’d suggest wearing one nerd thing at a time. So if you have a fun nerd t-shirt, wear normal pants, shoes, and sweater.

Check Your Dress Code: It goes without saying that you should check with your boss, HR department, or employee handbook. Not only will you ensure you’re following the rules, but you’ll feel more comfortable. It can sometimes feel like you stick out too much (not in a good way) if you’re testing the boundaries.

Use What You Already Have: Sometimes something outright nerdy is out of the question. You can still get creative! Imagine your favorite character wearing modern clothes. How would that translate? For example, if I wanted to emulate Wonder Woman, I would wear blue pants or skirt, a red shirt, and gold colored accessories. People do this at Disneyworld all the time, called “Disney bounding.” Look this up on Pinterest or Instagram and you’ll get ton of ideas.

Where Do You Find Great Fan Clothing?

I have SO many recommendations for you. To help you find what you’re looking for, I’ve got a brief description here of what you can expect from each shop.

• Geek Girl Gang: They’ve got a great selection for cosplay and comic con fans alike.
• Her Universe: This shop creates dresses, jackets, and shirts to emulate beloved characters. This is one of my top recommendations. You can find discrete fashion, half-cosplay items to full on costumes.  They have sizes for children up to plus sizes.
• For Fans by Fans: Here, you can find more obscure fandom favorites for guys and girls.
• Elhoffer Design: If you’re looking for top quality dresses, tunics, and sweaters, you will love this shop. Her Star Wars and Hamilton stuff is especially breathtaking.
• Torrid: If you’re looking for flexible sizing, Torrid only provides plus-sized fashion. They have a subset of nerdy clothing, in addition to normal clothing categories. Remember, you don’t have to be a straight size to rock your fandom!
• Jordandene: This shop provides tees and tanks strictly with quotes from just about every fandom. The text is in a beautiful script that gives it a subtle fan look.
• Look Human: If you’re a fan of something, you’ll find a fun top that portrays it.
• Hello Holiday: Here’s a classy suggestion if you’re into girl power and feminism.
• TeeSpring: Another resource for fan tees.
• The Twirlings: Here’s a small shop that shares beautiful tees for all you bookworms.
• Hot Topic: I’m sure most of you know of Hot Topic. They’ve really stepped up their fan gear game, so check out their content that will cover you from head to foot.
• Colorful Geekiness: Another print tee shop with great fandom quotes.
• TinyGeekShop: Another print tee shop option.
• GeekyU: Yet another print tee shop.
• ThinkGeek: Not only will you find nerdy shirts and jackets, you’ll find home décor, furniture, kitchenware, and toys.
• Loungefly: This online shop sells only accessories: bags, jewelry, wallets, and more.

These are just a few options. I’ll be updating this list as I discover more. I hope you find a shop that you truly love! Remember to tag them in your photos if you ever show off your fashion on social media. It’ll help other people like you and me to find them.

That’s enough for now! I hope you’ve enjoyed this awesome post. I love bragging about shops I adore and helping people like you feel confident. If you want to join in the fun, you can see all my outfit ideas through the hashtag #WhatEditorsWear on Instagram, or you can see my wish list via my Pinterest board, Geek & Fashion Things.

What kinds of fashion tips will you try? What kind of nerd gear do you love shopping for? I’d love to hear about your style in the comments below or on social media!